The convicted rapist, armed with a handmade knife, held four medics and a guard in the prison infirmary.
"The hostage in Arles has just been arrested. No one was hurt," Justice Minister Gerald Darmanen said on the social network X, thanking prison staff and police.
Rapid response forces, including the elite RAID police unit, were dispatched to the scene.
One hostage, a doctor, was released earlier at around 2:30 p.m. local time before the others, AFP reported.
The 37-year-old prisoner is serving a sentence for rape and suffers from "significant mental problems."
Arles prison only houses criminals sentenced to more than 10 years or who pose a security risk.
The man's sentence runs until 2031 | BGNES, AFP
